CALIFORNIA (Nov. 14) – The Vulcans extended their winning streak to six games after scoring the game-winning touchdown with just over one minute remaining in a 7-6 victory against Bloomsburg on Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium.
NOTES
• California closed the regular season with an 8-3 overall record, marking the fourth time in the last six years the program has eaarned at least eight victories.
• The Vulcans have allowed a combined 20 points, including just two touchdowns, over the last four games.
• Cal held Bloomsburg to just 198 yards of total offense, including only 64 passing yards on 30 attempts.
• Senior linebacker
Wilfredo Diaz led the team and tied his season high with 14 tackles (six solo) plus recorded his fifth career interception.
• Junior defensive lineman
Keith Spell set a career high with 12 stops, while junior linebacker
Tajuan Bandy added 10 tackles and 1.5 TFL.
• Sophomore linebacker
Khalil Holley finished with six stops and 2.0 sacks.
• The Vulcans were held to 169 yards of total offense and made only two trips inside the red zone.
• Senior quarter
Sam Stoner finished with 127 passing yards on 21-of-34 attempts with one touchdown and one interception.
• Junior running back
Bobbie Boyd, Jr. led the team with 30 rushing yards on 12 carries and also paced the team with four receptions.
• Bloomsburg finished with more than a 14-minute advantage in time of possession.
• The 13 combined points marked the fewest in a game since the Vulcans earned a 10-0 victory at Edinboro in Week 6 of the 2006 season.
RECAP
• The Huskies controlled the ball for over 11 minutes on their opening two drives of the game and took a 3-0 lead on a 43-yard field goal with 13:48 left in the second quarter.
• Cal advanced to the Bloomsburg 30-yard line on its last drive of the first half before turning the ball over on downs following an unsuccessful fourth-and-four.
• Early in the third quarter, the Huskies blocked a punt and started the ensuing drive at the Cal 20-yard line before settling for a 31-yard field goal at the 10:38-mark.
• In the final minute of the quarter, Diaz recorded an interception near midfield and returned the interception to the 12-yard line of Bloomsburg.
• However, the Huskies regained possession on the next play after intercepting Stoner with 32 seconds left.
• Bloomsburg faced a third-and-one early in the fourth quarter before an illegal shift penalty forced the Huskies back to midfield.
• Following a timeout, sophomore defensive back
Tavin Willis registered an interception at the Cal 30-yard line.
• The teams traded punts with senior
Andrew Gonzalez pinning Bloomsburg back at its two-yard line with a 60-yard punt.
• Cal started its next drive at the Bloomsburg 39-yard line and converted a third-and-three with an unsportsmanlike conduct after the play advancing the ball to the 14-yard line.
• Stoner later connected with freshman wide receiver
Damar Olds for a 14-yard touchdown on third down with 1:18 left to play.
• The Huskies threw three-straight incompletions and were unable to convert a fourth-and-15 with 44 seconds remaining.
NEXT
• Cal has been slotted among the top 10 in the Super Region One NPI rankings in each of the last two weeks and remains among several teams competing for four at-large berths to the NCAA Playoffs.
• Slippery Rock (PSAC) and Virginia Union (CIAA) secured automatic berths on Saturday by winning their league championship games.
• Charleston (MEC) and Assumption (NE-10) also claimed berths to the NCAA Playoffs after finishing atop their respective conference standings.
• The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to stream live tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. EST.
